The Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism co-hosted a conference titled "Tourism Cooperation of Vietnam - GCC: Potential and Prospect" in Hanoi on December 15.

The event was held both online and in-person format, attracting over 250 delegates including Ambassadors and Chargé d'affaires of GCC countries in Hanoi and Vietnam's diplomats in the region, and more than 100 travel agencies and hospitality providers from both sides.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu speaks at the event. Photo: Pham Ly

Lots of untapped potential

Speaking to welcome the conference, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu affirmed that the conference is an important tourism promotion event after the Covid-19 pandemic, a concrete implementation of Directive 15 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee and the direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on promoting economic diplomacy in service of national development with a focus on local people and businesses.

Hieu hopes that the conference will contribute to finding new directions and solutions to create breakthroughs in tourism cooperation between Vietnam and GCC countries, contributing to strengthening the friendship, good cooperation and ties; increasing mutual understanding between the two sides in the near future.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet affirmed that in the face of challenges and impacts of Covid-19, Vietnam's tourism has actively and flexibly adapted and implemented many solutions to cope with the pandemic. The Vietnamese Government's decision to reopen international tourism from March 15, 2022 is very important, at the right time, made on the basis of solid foundations and important lessons learned in pandemic prevention and control as well as piloting international arrivals.

Vietnam was recognized by the World Tourism Organization as the first Southeast Asian country to completely lift travel barriers related to Covid-19. Viet also highlighted yet-to-be-tapped potential to improve the efficiency of bilateral tourism cooperation.

At the conference. Photo: Pham Ly

Cooperation in investment in tourism infrastructure and services

Participants at the event highly appreciated the initiative and determination of the Foreign Ministry, the diplomatic missions of Vietnam in the GCC countries and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in organizing the conference.

They agreed on the potential to promote tourism cooperation between Vietnam and GCC countries. However, the number of tourists from this region to Vietnam in the past time is still limited due to many objective and subjective reasons, only about 6,000 each year.

According to Abdulla Ali Alhameli - Charge d’Affaires a.i of the UAE Embassy in Hanoi, it is a pleasure to attend today's conference, an important occasion to share with delegates about the potential and advantages of the tourism sector in the UAE - know as a hub of tourism and economic power in the MENA region.

The UAE is an important gateway to connect and promote trade and tourism in the region and the world. The UAE has regularly welcomed more than 10 million of international visitors, just before the pandemic. The UAE annually welcomed more than 40,000 Vietnamese tourists through two daily direct flights by Emirates Airlines connect Hanoi - Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City - Dubai, and helps bring Emirates Airlines’passengers from the GCC, Europe, America, Africa to visit Vietnam’s famous landscapes which are recognized by UNESCO as the World Cultural Heritages, he said.

Abdulla Ali Alhameli - Charge d’Affaires a.i of the UAE Embassy in Vietnam (first from left) shares at the conference. Photo: Pham Ly

"Hopefully, the signing of the tourism cooperation agreement between UAE and Vietnam in the coming time will promote and enhance further the potential of cooperation between the two countries to a new higher level and satisfy the need and interests of citizen and enterprises of both countries,” said Charge d’Affaires a.i, Abdulla Ali Ahameli.

Participants suggested improving the frequency and efficiency of Vietnam’s tourism promotion activities in the Gulf region, building tour packages meeting Halal standards, increasing direct flights between both sides, diversifying forms of passenger transport like airway and waterway, preparing for workforce fluent in languages and Islamic culture, and simplifying visa procedures, among others.

They also explored the possibility of joint investment in tourism infrastructure and services. At the conference, a number of delegates exchanged and explored the possibility of investment cooperation between the two sides in infrastructure and tourism services.

Delegates pose for a group photo. Photo: Pham Ly

Concluding the conference, Chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh welcomed the opinions, and said that it will contribute to helping local authorities and businesses.

The Vietnamese industry has put forward specific measures to enhance the exchange of tourists between GCC countries and Vietnam, he said, adding that the two ministries will continue working closely together to hold tourism promotion activities in the region in the coming time.

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